About the Book

Learn more about the authors, read the bibliography, and more.

Robert E. Johnson

A St. Louis native, Robert (Bob) E. Johnson has lived in Berkeley for 30-plus years, following 13 years spent in Japan. He has always been an avid walker and hiker. For the past 20 years, Bob has led group walking tours around the Bay Area, including many in Berkeley, for groups such as Greenbelt Alliance (of which he is a board member), Berkeley Path Wanderers Association, the Berkeley Historical Society, and BayNature magazine. He has retained a strong interest in architecture since his student days, when he took art history and a two-year architecture basic design studio. Johnson was a commissioner on the Berkeley Landmarks Preservation Commission from 2003 to 2011, and spent 15 months as its chair. Thanks to years of observation and classes with botanist Glenn Keator, Bob has learned a good deal about native and non-native plants. Since retiring from a career in financial analysis, he has worked part-time with Steve Price of Urban Advantage producing sophisticated photorealistic images envisioning better urban design for planning professionals around the country.

Janet L. Byron

In addition to walking all around town, Janet L. Byron loves to run, hike, bike, swim, and watch birds. She has led hikes for the Greenbelt Alliance, the Berkeley Path Wanderers Association, the Girl Scouts, Congregation Beth El, and other local groups, and has served on the boards of the Greenbelt Alliance, BPWA, Friends of Strawberry Creek, the Willard Neighborhood Association, and Berkeley Partners for Parks. She attended the Graduate School of Journalism at the University of California, Berkeley, and works as a professional science writer and editor, currently for the Kaiser Permanente Division of Research. Her previous book, The Country Music Lover’s Guide to the U.S.A., was published by St. Martin’s Press. A New York native and Berkeley citizen for nearly 25 years, Janet lives in her dream house in West Berkeley with her daughter.